Abu Obeida lambasts mediators, calls on Arab and Muslim nations to break silence on Gaza

In a fiery oration delivered against the backdrop of ongoing Israeli bombardment, Hamas military spokesperson Abu Obeida issued a scathing rebuke to international mediators and guarantors on Saturday, accusing them of failing to hold the occupation accountable while demanding further concessions from the Palestinian people.

The speech, the third by the newly appointed spokesperson since his predecessor was killed last August, struck a notably confrontational tone. With the ceasefire brokered by the United States in October showing increasing fragility, Abu Obeida called for a unified Muslim stand and a clear distinction between “the victim and the executioner.”

“To bring the mediators and guarantors face to face with the moment of truth—where are you, what is your role, and where are your guarantees?” Abu Obeida said. He emphasized that when addressing mediators apart from the United States, he speaks to “our own people and the sons of our nation.” He urged them not to remain silent or neutral, declaring, “Stand with your brothers in Gaza in an honorable stance that history will record.”

The Hamas spokesperson rejected any pressure on Palestinians to offer further compromises, demanding instead that the occupation be forced to fulfill its obligations. “Let the cowardly enemy know that the martyrdom of Zaid, Jaafar, and Ibn Rawahah (may Allah be pleased with them) was not a signal for the leaders of the Muslims to fade away,” he stated. “Quite the opposite—it was the birth of the unsheathed Sword of Allah.”

Abu Obeida paid tribute to recently slain military commanders Ezzideen Alhaddad and Mohamed Oudeh, who were assassinated along with their families. He framed their deaths not as defeats but as a legacy that has produced a new generation of hardened leaders. “There remain among us leaders who are gathering against you, who have drunk deeply from the wellspring of the Qur’an and the Sunnah, and who were raised by their great martyred leaders,” he said. “They have emerged today as sharp-edged swords, sworn not to deviate from the path of those who came before you. You will not find for them, by Allah’s will, any alternative.”

Addressing fellow Arab and Islamic nations directly, Abu Obeida invoked the recent pilgrimage to Mount Arafat, arguing that the same nation heeding its Lord’s call should now ascend “the pinnacle of glory by supporting its oppressed sons.” He declared that silence or neutrality is no longer acceptable, calling on all Muslim forces to set aside their differences and correct their compass “toward the enemy of the nation.”

“The duty of this hour is active engagement in the battle between truth and falsehood,” he asserted. “Our hope in Allah Almighty, then in you, is unbroken.”

The speech comes as Israeli strikes continue to pummel Gaza. Since the US-brokered ceasefire took effect in October, Israeli forces have killed over 950 Palestinians in the Strip, according to local health authorities. This week alone, airstrikes targeted residential buildings, killing a dozen people, while the majority of Gaza’s population remains displaced and sheltering in precarious conditions.

Abu Obeida concluded with a message to the fighters on the ground, praising the resilience of Gaza’s combatants. “Your enemy is weak in the face of the fighters of Gaza, who have humiliated it with their insightful weaponry,” he said. “Rejoice in what displeases you, O enemies of Allah. You have achieved nothing.”

Sources: Palestinian Ministry of Health in Gaza; Israeli official statements; field reports as of June 6, 2026